So, the world has ended, or you’ve been given the doleful news it’s about to end. Lucky for you, I’ve composed a shopping list to take along on your looting trips so you can be sure to grab the most useful stuff you can have during an apocalypse. These items are not only useful, they’ll be the most valuable trade goods out there.

1) Guns— even if you never need them for defense against zombies or home protection, you’re going to need them for hunting once the supply of cans of Spaghetti-Os is depleted. If you can’t get a gun, a crossbow or a powerful slingshot is another good choice. Don’t laugh at the slingshot: some of the modern models are as powerful as a .22 caliber handgun. And the best thing about crossbows and slingshots is you can make more ammo for them.

2) Liquor— As Justin says, “It’s a pain-killer, a disinfectant, and a good time, all rolled into one.” It’s going to be one of the most valuable trade goods. I once told a paranoid acquaintance that if they were really worried about a societal collapse, they shouldn’t invest in gold. They should buy cases of Jack Daniels, Marlboros, and ammo.

3) Medicines—Anti-diarrheal medication will be a life-saver, especially once people start getting exposed to non-purified water. Fever reducers such as aspirin will also be vital (become a wasteland doctor by learning to make it from willow bark!) Stronger pain killers would be great to have, but pharmacies tend to be the first places looted, so you’re probably not going to have much luck with that.

4) Condoms—STDs and accidental pregnancy are still issues in the post-apocalypse world. Come prepared, as they say. Condoms can also keep your matches/kindling dry, keep dirt out of your weapons, and in a pinch, the unlubricated types can even be used to transport water. You can even put ‘em over your feet to keep them dry temporarily while crossing a stream. (Wet feet are very dangerous in a world where the smallest cut can lead to deadly infection.)

5) Tampons— Women will need these, obviously, but you can also use them for bandaging wounds, filtering water, and starting fires.

6) Weight loss powder/protein shakes— Your diet probably isn’t going to be consisting of recommended daily servings from all the food groups, so if you can supplement with diet shakes or muscle-building powders, it will probably help keep your body replenished with vitamins and nutrients you’re missing. And some Flinstones Chewables probably wouldn’t go amiss.

7) Duct tape— An all-purpose repair kit in handy roll form. Or make a prom dress. Whatever the situation may call for.

8) Bleach/iodine/water purifier— Once society crumbles, there goes our safe, clean water, too. We’re so used to being able to get potable water at the touch of a tap, we don’t even think about it, but clean water is going to be one of the most precious resources you can have, and you’re going to need a lot of it. You’ll have to get used to chemically purifying, filtering, distilling, or boiling every drop you drink.

9) Sunscreen— Zombieland wasn’t joking. Who’s going to treat you for skin cancer? Wear sunscreen, cover up, and stay safe. Take care of yourself as best you can and prevent ailments before they start.

10) Salt— Another thing that so ubiquitous we don’t think about it. Modern food has tons of salt in it, but once the manufactured stuff goes, we’re going to need to find new sources of salt, not only for our dietary needs, but for preserving food.

After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly Daniels, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food. With her is Sam, a wolf puppy she found starving on the streets. He becomes her companion and a reason to continue when giving up sometimes seems like the more attractive option. Still dazed with shock and grief, she hopes for the world to go back to normal soon.

She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier who is intent on making his way to Florida before the winter sets in. Justin coaxes her out of her hiding place and convinces her to join him on his journey, because a warmer climate will be their best chance against the extremes of Mother Nature.

Together, they begin a perilous journey through a nation laid to waste by the disaster. Challenges abound along the way. The weather, injury, and shortage of supplies all help to slow them down. In time, they discover that they aren’t the only survivors. Some are friendly but some have had their minds destroyed by the high fever. Then there are those who simply take what they want, leaving Carly and Justin with no choice but to defend what is theirs.

But their journey is not without joy and love. Together, they face every struggle, including an unplanned pregnancy. Despite the perils of bringing a child into a world of chaos, their baby is a new beginning for themselves and a symbol of hope for the other survivors they find along the way.

This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life, and a home in each other.

From the author of The End of All Things comes a collection of short stories about the Infection that swept around the globe, decimating the population, and leaving behind a small number of survivors, unprepared to deal with the brutal new world which had replaced the one they'd known.

The Horsemen

L.A.'s mayor has declared quarantine to try to halt the spread of the Infection. Pearl sets off across the city to buy supplies, but already the world is changing. Something strange is in the air. The Horsemen are coming ...

Veronica

When Veronica's mother doesn't come home from work and no one answers the phone when she calls for help, a nine-year-old girl is thrown into the chaos of a world coming to an end. Veronica decides it's up to her to find her family. "Veronica" is the story of a little girl's courage in the face of the end of all things.

"I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud"

They called her Shadowfax-- the mare Carly and Justin found on their travels. But before she was found by Carly, the retired dressage horse was known as Cloud. An unusual tale of the end, told through the eyes of a confused and lonely horse, left in her pasture.

Birthday

A previously-published bonus story. Carly knows Justin has never celebrated his birthday, and after society crumbled, no one knows what date it is, anyway. But she wants to do something special for him. Celebrating the little things helps them keep hope alive, and as a blizzard rages outside, a small gesture of love warms their home.

After surviving the Infection and a perilous journey through the wasteland that was once the United States, Carly and Justin have found a safe home in the isolated town of Colby.

Even so, balancing the duties of survival and a growing family isn’t easy. As they emerge as leaders, they face difficult questions about justice in a lawless land, basic human rights, and freedom in a world where strength defines worth. More than ever, they have to rely on one another for strength and support during the darkest of times.

The Crisis is far from over. Their fences won’t keep the world out forever, and a new threat is emerging—a gang of predators who see the town as easy pickings. When danger looms over Colby, Carly must decide how far she’ll go to protect those she loves.

It’s a journey down the long and broken road through The Land of the Shadow.

Carly Daniels knows what it is to suffer loss. She knows what it is to sacrifice. In the two years since a pandemic virus—known only as the Infection—decimated humanity, she’s made choices she never could have imagined. She’s condoned violence in the name of peace and done the unthinkable in the name of mercy. But with Justin at her side, she’s also learned there’s nothing she can’t face and nothing she wouldn’t do to protect those she loves.

But now another threat has arrived in the form of a uniformed man driving an army truck, claiming to represent the remnant of the United States military. Someone has set their sights on their community . . . and on Justin. The struggle to defend their little homeland is far from over, and the visitors may have brought more danger with them than just their weapons.

The shadows are closing in. Carly has to find out whether she has the strength to stand on her own when all of her support has fallen away. What remains when the shadows have gone?

Unemployed, with her savings dwindling, Sara Howell thinks things are looking up when she lands a ghostwriting job and rents the affordable island home of her favorite author, Seth Fortner, who mysteriously disappeared in 1925.

Strange things happen, making Sara wonder if Seth ever left. When she finds an old trunk of Seth’s letters, she delves into a world she never imagined, filled with love and a family curse it seems only she can break.

Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure for athlete's foot.... though only in her head.

Real life isn't so interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing.

2015-10-02

Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. The mantra is good enough for the Marines; it’s good enough for me. Improvise . . . Near the top of the world, I fight for my life against my opponent, Sebastian Stark. He has the upper hand in strength, but I have the cunning to turn the tables on him. I battle the elements, my demons, and him until Stark and I manage to strike a deal to ensure freedom for us both—and the women we love.

Adapt . . . Being alone comes naturally to me. I’ve spent most of my life alone. Sharing my experiences, opening up to another human being, developing a relationship—all these things are foreign to me. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even meant to be.

Overcome . . . I’ve been away from Lia for far too long, yet I still have commitments I must keep. When I make my way home, I will tell her I have decided to end the life I have led and move on to become the man she needs. I can overcome my demons; I must. But will Lia be willing to wait?